Ivory Starkes Built Luxe Glow Vibe Around Melasma Care

Starting over in a new city can still mean starting with everything you know. Ivory Starkes launched her esthetics business in Denver in late 2025, and an abrupt move to Phoenix in 2026 meant building a local client base from scratch. She arrived with nearly 10 years of experience, an advanced melasma course she wrote herself, and virtual clients across the country. Her expertise made the move with her.

Ivory Starkes is the founder of Luxe Glow Vibe Esthetics & Education, a corrective skincare and education business serving clients in Phoenix and virtually nationwide. A dual-licensed esthetician in Arizona and Colorado, she specializes in melasma, hyperpigmentation, acne-related dark marks, and other stubborn skin concerns, using a personalized, barrier-first approach. A member of the Entreprenista League, Ivory also lives with melasma herself. Her motto, “Confidence Uncovered,” names what she wants every client to feel.

“I want people to feel seen, understand their skin, and have the knowledge and support to care for it with confidence.”

Ivory has spent the months since her move building Luxe Glow Vibe in a new community. This is what that looks like now.

A specialty that started close to home

Ivory already had professional esthetics training when she began helping family and close friends with dark spots and other pigment concerns. She read about skincare protocols and practices for melanated skin, and she was learning from her own experience with melasma at the same time.

She kept seeing people she loved deal with dark spots without enough information about the care that could support their skin, especially sun protection. “It made me realize how much thoughtful, culturally aware skincare education was needed in the melanated community,” she says. It is a gap other founders see too, including nurse practitioner Romnie Cesar, who advocates for skin of color through her practice in New York City.

Barrier-first care for the person behind the skin

Ivory takes time to understand the person behind the skin concern. She assesses each client carefully and builds an individualized, barrier-first plan around their skin, their experiences, and what they can realistically maintain.

“I live with melasma, so I know pigment concerns can affect more than your appearance,” she says. “They can change how you feel about your skin and leave you frustrated when you don’t know what to try next.”

Pigment concerns can be complex, especially for melanated skin, and many people are left guessing. Ivory wants every client to leave feeling listened to, better informed, and supported in caring for their skin with confidence.

Teaching estheticians to treat pigment with confidence

Education is the other half of Luxe Glow Vibe. Ivory wrote an advanced melasma course for estheticians and students, available as a self-paced online course, through one-on-one Zoom instruction, and in person. It has already reached estheticians in South Africa and Canada.

“Seeing my work travel that far was exciting and personal,” she says. “It showed me that what I’ve learned and created can support people well beyond my own community.”

Her first Phoenix clients

The move meant building a new local client base while continuing to serve virtual clients nationwide. Many of her earliest virtual clients were in the tri-state area, a community that grew naturally through her family ties out East.

Then her first 3 Phoenix clients signed up for her pigment programs. Each came to her for help with concerns like dark spots and uneven tone, and each received a thoughtful plan, guidance tailored to their skin, and support throughout the process. “I was new to the area and still finding my footing, so their trust meant a lot,” Ivory says.

The experience taught her that growth rarely runs in a straight line. “Sometimes you have to adapt, rebuild, and keep showing up before the results are visible,” she says.

A skincare line and a Big Sister program

Over the next few years, Ivory plans to bring her advanced melasma classes to Las Vegas and the tri-state area once a year while continuing to teach online and one-on-one over Zoom. She is also working toward a skincare line created with melanated skin in mind, focused on barrier-conscious care, hydration, and uneven skin tone.

One of her biggest dreams is a Big Sister program for girls ages 12 to 16, a welcoming space to learn about skincare and healthy living, build confidence, and experience sisterhood. “I hope Luxe Glow Vibe continues to grow beyond treatments and classes into a lasting source of education, care, and community,” she says.

Build something you’re proud of

Ivory has long lived by one phrase: “Real living is a life you do not need vacation from.” To her, it means building a life and a business she is proud of, where work feels meaningful, and she finds joy in what she does.

Her advice for founders starts in the same place. “Give yourself permission to start before you have everything figured out. Bring your knowledge, keep learning, and listen to the people you want to serve.” And for anyone facing a move of their own, she adds, “Plans can change without the dream being over.”

You can follow Ivory and Luxe Glow Vibe on Instagram.

If Ivory's approach to confidence-first skin care resonates, the Entreprenista League is a community of women founders who value connection, shared experience, and practical business insight as they grow. Learn more about the Entreprenista League right here.